A realtor’s “lock box,” which gave access to agents and their clients viewing Barry and Honey Sherman’s house, has expanded the pool of “persons of interest” in what is now officially a double murder investigation.

Toronto Police Det.-Sgt. Susan Gomes, the officer in charge of the case, updated reporters Friday in a short briefing.

“We believe now, through six weeks’ work and review, that we have sufficient evidence to describe this as a double homicide investigation and that both Honey and Barry Sherman were in fact targeted,” Gomes said.

In answering a reporter’s question, she confirmed that “we have that list” of anyone who gained entry to the Old Colony Road home in North Toronto, which was for sale, via the lock box.

Barry and Honey ShermanHandout via United Jewish Appeal

“Anybody who had access to that home in the last weeks and months leading up to that weekend, those days — important to us,” Gomes said.

The three-storey home, modest by billionaire standards, was first listed Nov. 27; the listing was removed Dec. 20, five days after the bodies of the Shermans were discovered.

Lock boxes are often used by agents for periods when either the sellers are away or unavailable for showings, or when the agents themselves can’t be there for appointments. Keys to the home are left in the lock box, which is usually affixed to the door handle. Agents can then get the lock box code from the selling agent’s office, and take their clients through.

Despite early unattributed leaks in the media that police had an early working theory they were dealing with a murder-suicide, Gomes said that from the get-go, “the only presented options” were double suicide, homicide-suicide or double homicide.

And each possibility, she said, was considered “as the evidence presented itself.”

A post-mortem showed that for both husband and wife, the cause of death was ligature neck compression, but the manner was undetermined.

But after “thousands of hours” of investigative work, including “obtaining or executing 20 judicial authorizations and searches,” seizing more than 150 pieces of evidence, 127 witness interviews and the collection of 2,000 hours of surveillance and security video footage from adjacent homes and nearby businesses, detectives are satisfied the couple was murdered.

“Legal complexities and some executions (of warrants) have been challenging, given the litigious nature of Barry Sherman’s businesses, in particular the search and seizure of electronics of (his) workspace at Apotex,” the giant generic drug company he founded.

Even obtaining a more ordinary search warrant is a time-consuming process, involving an officer swearing out a lengthy “information to obtain,” wherein he or she lays out the grounds for the warrant sought, and then appears before a judge who must approve it.

Gomes released other details too, some of which had been reported in the media.

The couple, respectively 75 and 70 years old, were last seen alive on the evening of Dec. 13, and didn’t communicate thereafter with “friends, family or associates.”

On the morning of Dec. 15, Gomes said, they “were found deceased in the lower level pool area hanging by belts from a poolside railing on the pool deck.” They were wearing their clothing, and police found “no signs of forced entry on all access points to the home.”

Gomes steadfastly refused to discuss speculation or evidence, whether reported in the media or turned up by the private team of former homicide detectives and experts hired by the Sherman family, who were offended by the suggestion their parents’ deaths were a murder-suicide.

She said, however, that she had spoken to forensic pathologist Dr. David Chiasson, who was hired by the family to perform a second autopsy.

Police clear the scene as a private investigator takes over at the Toronto home of Barry and Honey Sherman on Friday Jan. 26, 2018.Dave Abel/Postmedia Network

Gomes was graceful and kind in speaking about the family, who were critical of police early on for the leaked theory of the crime, saying: “For them, it’s been difficult to balance their patience with their frustration with us and the investigation, not unlike any other family who has suffered such a sudden and profound loss.

“They have been understanding, co-operative and hopeful that this investigation can give them some answers,” she said.

The investigation continues, Gomes said. Detectives are still interviewing persons of interest — “we have an extensive list of people that we’re looking forward to speaking to,” she said.

“We haven’t developed any suspects,” she said, nor would she discuss possible motives. When reporters suggested some to her — the theories surrounding the couple’s deaths range from wild to wilder — she would reply serenely, “It’s possible.”

Asked if this investigation was taking longer than normal, Gomes said simply, “No.”

Police hope the press conference itself will see people with information come forward, adding, no doubt, to the “348 investigative actions” detectives have taken already or are busy following up.

Police released the house to the family Friday morning and, almost immediately, members of the private team were replacing police crime scene tape with tape of their own.